Kamande Graduates with Law Degree While Serving Life Sentence
Ruth Kamande, a convicted murderer serving a life sentence for the 2015 stabbing death of her boyfriend. Made headlines again after graduating with a law degree on November 26, 2024.
Kamiti Maximum Prison hosted the graduation ceremony, where she joined several inmates who received their degrees through a program run by the University of London in partnership with Justice Defenders.
In her speech, Kamande thanked the Kenya Prison Service and the educational initiative that allowed inmates to pursue higher education. “We are here to celebrate this new chapter with a new story. Which all of you have participated in rewriting,” she said, stressing the power of education in transforming lives behind bars.
Kamande shared that former Attorney General Githu Muigai inspired her desire to study law. Who had supported her during her legal battles.
Her graduation is especially meaningful due to her past. President William Ruto commuted Kamande’s sentence to life imprisonment in July 2023, after she was initially sentenced to death for the murder of her boyfriend.
Her case gained significant media attention, partly because of the crime, but also due to her striking appearance and previous participation in beauty contests within the prison system.
During the ceremony, Kamande emphasized the importance of education as a tool for rehabilitation and empowerment. She encouraged her fellow graduates to use their legal knowledge to advocate for marginalized people in society.
This graduation marks a major achievement for Kamande and other inmates involved in the program, demonstrating how education can lead to personal transformation, even in difficult circumstances.
Justice Defenders, founded in 2007 as the African Prisons Project, is a nonprofit in the United States and a charity in the UK. The organization works in several African countries, including Kenya and Uganda.
Through its programs, Justice Defenders offers paralegal training and law degrees to prisoners and prison staff. The initiative operates in 46 prisons, teaching inmates about criminal justice, constitutional law, and human rights. This education helps individuals advocate for themselves and others, providing valuable legal support within their communities.